< Joshua 2 >
1 Joshua nwa Nun sitere na Shitim zipụ ndị nnyopụta abụọ na nzuzo sị ha, “Gaanụ leta otu ihe si aga nʼala ahụ, karịsịa nʼobodo Jeriko.” Ha gara nʼobodo ahụ baa nʼụlọ nwanyị akwụna aha ya bụ Rehab nọọ ọnọdụ nʼebe ahụ.
Then Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two spies from Shittim. “Go and explore the land, especially around Jericho,” he told them. So they went, and stayed at the house of woman named Rahab, a prostitute. There they spent the night.
2 Ma otu onye gwara eze Jeriko okwu sị, “Lee, ụfọdụ ụmụ ndị ikom Izrel batara obodo a nʼabalị inyochapụta ala anyị.”
But the king of Jericho was told, “Look, some Israelites have come here this evening to spy out the land.”
3 Mgbe eze Jeriko nụrụ okwu a, o zigaara Rehab ozi sị, “Kpọpụta ndị ikom ahụ batara nʼụlọ gị nʼihi na ha bịara iledo ala anyị.”
So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, telling her, “Hand over the men who came to visit you and stay in your house, for they've come to spy out our whole country.”
4 Ma nwanyị ahụ zoro mmadụ abụọ ahụ. Mgbe ndị ahụ e ziri ozi bịarutere, ọ gwara ha okwu sị, “Ọ bụ eziokwu na ndị ikom ahụ bakwutere m, ma amaghị m ebe ha si bịa.
The woman had taken the two men and had hidden them. She told the king's messengers, “Yes, it's true—the men did come to visit me, but I didn't know where they were from.
5 Ma ha apụọlarị. Ha hapụrụ obodo a mgbe a na-achọ imechi ọnụ ụzọ ama, nʼoge ọchịchịrị bidoro ịgba. Amaghị m ebe ha gara. Ma, nʼuche m, ọ bụrụ na unu achụso ha ọsọ ọsịịsọ unu nwere ike ijide ha.”
They left at sundown, just as the city gate was closing. I've no idea where they went. If you're quick, you can chase after them and maybe catch up with them.”
6 (Nʼeziokwu ọ bụ Rehab nʼonwe ya mere ka mmadụ abụọ ahụ rigoro nʼelu ụlọ ebe o zoro ha nʼokpuru ahịhịa flakisi ọ wụsara nʼebe ahụ.)
(She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under some bundles of flax that she had lying there.)
7 Ya mere, ndị ikom ahụ pụrụ na-achụ ndị nnyopụta ahụ nʼakụkụ ụzọ gara ngabiga Jọdan. Ma ngwangwa ha pụrụ, e mechiri ọnụ ụzọ ama e si abata obodo ahụ.
The king's messengers went chasing after the men down the road that leads to the Jordan River fords. As soon as the pursuers had left, the city gate was shut behind them.
8 Ma tupu ndị nnyopụta ahụ edina ala ịrahụ ụra nʼabalị ahụ, Rehab rịgokwuru ha,
Before the spies went to sleep, Rachel came up to the roof to talk to them.
9 gwa ha sị, “Ama m na Onyenwe anyị enyela unu ala a, marakwa na oke ụjọ nke egwu unu adakwasịla anyị, nke mere na ndị niile bi nʼime ala a na-agbaze nʼegwu nʼihi unu,
She told them, “I know that the Lord has given this land to you. We're all terrified of you. Everyone who lives here is dying of fright since you people arrived.
10 nʼihi na anyị anụla otu Onyenwe anyị si mee ka mmiri dị nʼOsimiri Uhie taa nʼihi unu, mgbe unu si nʼIjipt pụta. Anyị nụkwara ihe unu mere Saịhọn, na Ọg, bụ eze abụọ ndị Amọrị, ndị bi nʼọwụwa anyanwụ osimiri Jọdan, otu unu si bibie ha, gbuchapụ ndị niile bi nʼala ahụ.
We've heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you completely destroyed.
11 Ma mgbe anyị nụrụ ihe ndị a, obi anyị gbazere nʼihi ụjọ, mmụọ onye ọbụla dara mba nʼihi unu, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị Chineke unu bụ Chineke nʼeluigwe na nʼụwa.
When we heard all this, our courage melted away. Nobody had any fighting spirit left because of you. For the Lord your God is God of heaven above and the earth below.
12 “Ugbu a, ebe ọ bụ na m emeelara unu ebere, jirinụ Onyenwe anyị ṅụọrọ m iyi na unu ga-emere ezinaụlọ m ebere. Gosinụ m ihe ịrịbama nʼeziokwu,
So now promise me in the name of the Lord that because I have acted in good faith to you, then you will do the same for my family. Give me some sign that I can trust you,
13 na unu ga-emekwa ka ndụ nna m, na nne m, na ụmụnne m ndị ikom na ndị inyom, na ndị ezinaụlọ ha niile dịrị, na unu ga-anapụta anyị site nʼọnwụ.”
that you will spare my father and mother and brothers and sisters—and all who are part of their families—that you will save them from death.”
14 Ndị ikom ahụ kwere ya nkwa sị, “Ndụ anyị lara ndụ unu. Ọ bụrụ na ị gbaghị anyị ama, anyị ga-egosi gị obi ebere na ikwesi ntụkwasị obi mgbe Onyenwe anyị ga-enye anyị ala a.”
“Our lives for yours!” the men told her. “If you don't tell anyone about this, we will treat you honestly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”
15 Ụlọ Rehab dị nʼakụkụ mgbidi obodo ahụ. O ji ụdọ site na oghereikuku wedata ndị ikom abụọ ahụ.
Then she lowered them down by a rope through the window since the house where she lived was built into the outside of the city wall.
16 Ọ gwakwara ha sị, “Gbalaganụ nʼugwu, zoonụ onwe unu nʼebe ahụ ụbọchị atọ, tutu ndị ahụ na-achọ unu alaghachi azụ. Mgbe ahụ, unu nwere ike ịpụta laghachi ebe unu si bịa.”
“Run to the hills,” she told them. “That way those searching for you won't find you. Stay there three days until they've gone home, and then you can be on your way.”
17 Ndị ahụ gwara ya sị, “Iyi a i mere ka anyị ṅụọ agaghị adị ire megide anyị,
The men had told her, “We will be freed from the promise you made us swear,
18 ma ọ bụrụ na nʼụbọchị ahụ anyị ga-abata ala a, i wereghị ụdọ ahụ na-acha uhie uhie kenye ya na oghereikuku i si wedata anyị, ma ọ bụrụkwa na ịkpọbataghị nʼụlọ gị nna gị, na nne gị, na ụmụnne gị ndị ikom, na ndị ezinaụlọ gị niile.
unless when we enter this land, you hang a scarlet cord in the window through which you lowered us. You must gather together in the house your father and mother and brothers—all the family.
19 Ọ bụrụ na onye ọbụla esite nʼụlọ gị pụọ nʼezi, ọbara ya agaghị adị anyị nʼisi, anyị agaghị abụkwa ndị ikpe mara. Ma ikpe ọmụma dịrị anyị ma ọ bụrụ nʼihe ọbụla emee onye ọbụla gị na ya so nọdụ nʼime ụlọ.
If anyone leaves your house and is killed, that's their fault—we're not responsible for their death. But if anyone lays a hand on someone who is inside your house, we take full responsibility for their death.
20 Ma ọ bụrụ na ị gbaa anyị ama, ọ dịkwaghị iwu ji anyị imezu iyi a i mere ka anyị ṅụọrọ gị.”
But if you tell anyone about this then we will be freed from the promise you made us swear.”
21 Rehab zara sị ha, “Dịka okwu niile unu kwuru si dị, otu a ka ọ ga-adị.” O zilagara ha. Ha pụkwara gaara onwe ha. Ma Rehab kekwasịrị ụdọ uhie uhie ahụ nʼọnụ oghereikuku ụlọ ya.
“I agree—may it be as you say,” she replied. She sent them off, and hung a scarlet cord in the window.
22 Ndị ikom abụọ ahụ gara zoo onwe ha nʼugwu ahụ. Ha nọrọ ụbọchị atọ nʼebe ahụ dịka Rehab gwara ha, tutu ndị ahụ na-achụ ha laghachiri nʼobodo Jeriko. Ndị a chọọrọ ha gaa ebe niile, nʼokporoụzọ niile, ma ha ahụghị ha.
They went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men searching for them looked all along the road, but couldn't find them, so they returned home.
23 Emesịa, mmadụ abụọ ahụ e zipụrụ iledo ala ahụ anya sitere nʼebe ha zoro onwe ha rịpụta, gafee osimiri Jọdan, laghachi nʼebe ụmụ Izrel nọ. Ha bịara kọọrọ Joshua nwa Nun otu ha si gaa ije ha.
Then the two men started back. They came down from the hill country and crossed over the Jordan. They went to Joshua and explained to him all that had happened to them.
24 Ha gwara Joshua sị, “Nʼezie, Onyenwe anyị enyela anyị ala ahụ niile, nʼihi na ndị niile bi nʼala ahụ na-atụ anyị ụjọ.”
“The Lord has placed this land in our hands,” they assured him. “All the people who live there are scared to death of us!”